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Build what you need and use what you build | Perceiving Systems Blog

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Build what you need and use what you build. This is a core philosophy of my research. It shifts the focus away from writing and publishing “papers” to what really matters — impact. At the start of any research project, my students know that I will ask them “Who’s your customer?” By customer, I don’t mean “paying customer”. I mean “who needs what you’re proposing?” Who will use it? Why do they need it? If you can’t answer this, then your work is likely to be irrelevant. A good answer to “who’s your customer?” can be “me”. If you need it, then you need it. And if you need it, there are probably other people out there in the world like you who will need it too. Corollary: if you aren’t going to use it, why do you think others will? Importantly, if you're your own customer, then it doesn’t matter what Reviewer 2 thinks. It doesn’t matter if it gets published. You need it and will build it regardless of what the world thinks. It takes you out of the publishing rat race and focuses you on wh

Build what you need and use what you build | Perceiving Systems Blog --> Build what you need and use what you build An approach to impactful science 21 April 2024 Blog Post --> Michael J. Black 3 minute read science; publishing; academic papers; impact Michael J. Black Build what you need and use what you build. This is a core philosophy of my research. It shifts the focus away from writing and publishing “papers” to what really matters — impact. At the start of any research project, my students know that I will ask them “Who’s your customer?” By customer, I don’t mean “paying customer”. I mea

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